Collectively, we as a group seem to be struggling in coming up with five courses out of two hundred plus that fit the parameter.
So let’s change the question: why isn’t Nicklaus Design hired for more golf only projects??
There have to be reasons. For instance, the design careers of Nicklaus and Pete Dye largely overlap and Dye has the four at Kohler, The Golf Club, The Honors Course as Mike Fay points out, etc. – where are the Nicklaus equivalent?
Cheers,
Ran,
You are making the very big assumption that Nicklaus Design wants golf only projects when the numbers you show (ND is over 300 courses BTW) indicate otherwise. Try this little experiment and I think you'll see why I think this way:
Assume you are a very wealthy real estate developer and you are about to develop 2000 acres of raw land into a golf centered neighborhood. Your goal is to maximize the use of the land so that you can make even more money because you aren't satisfied with being 'very wealthy' and you want to be insanely wealthy.
So you just want to build tons of expensive house and you know that if you stick a golf course in the middle somewhere that you can command 25% more per lot. Ran, you're an upscale guy and you like to build upscale communities, so who are you going to pick to build this course in the middle of your project? Before you answer please remember that national averages show that 65% of your future homeowners will NOT be members at your golf club. They will live on the course but not be members as they don't even care about golf but they like the home value appreciation that golf courses bring.
Let's see... you could pick Jack Nicklaus. Hmmm, the design fee is kind of steep but you get name recognition for the future members AND non-member home buyers. (A huge point!) Additionally, you would be getting a design firm that has done 300+ designs for similar neighborhoods. Some better than others but that's a lot of experience. Some of that experience has to do with 'neighborhood routing' of the course. I just made up that term. Does the course routing interfere with your goal of maximizing profit or does it help?
So Ran, being the greedy bastard that you are, you pick ND as your partner and poof, 2 years later you are in business selling houses mostly to people who won't play your course. (Weird huh?)
IMO, Nicklaus Design has learned they have a distinct advantage in residential course design. Who's better? Why not use this advantage to the fullest?
Lastly, ND gets a lot of repeat business by developers and this would indicate that these customers are mostly pleased by the design's impact on the neighborhood and the profits generated.
Best,
Peter